B&G Triton?

[NorthernMac]

Hey All,

Will a Triton² digital display and Triton² autopilot controller, play nice with OpenCPN and Pypilot?
Like just add it to the NEMA 2000 backbone Im putting in and go?


Display


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/b-g--...15?recordNum=9



AP Controller


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/b-g--...ecs-_-DY-_-PDP

[NorthernMac]

*Like just add it to the NEMA 0183 port on my breakout board, everything else on the NEMA 2000 backbone to break out board connection and go?

[hreuver]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

*Like just add it to the NEMA 0183 port on my breakout board, everything else on the NEMA 2000 backbone to break out board connection and go?

I think the breakout board should have isolation, especially with NMEA2000 (N2k).

Connections which are proven are those from Actisense and Yacht Devices (either N2k to USB, N2k to Wifi). Canable (Pro), Canberry and OpenMarine (Openplotter) also sell isolated canbus adapters which are sufficient and work fine with SignalK (I have not seen the Canberry + SignalK combination but the specs are good).

I don't know which breakout board you use. Just an MCP2515 + MCP2551 works fine for testing. I would not recommend using it permanently, but some people do.

PS the pypilot plugin was written as remote for a pypilot, not for Raymarine/Simrad/B&G/Garmin.

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by hreuver

I think the breakout board should have isolation, especially with NMEA2000 (N2k).

Connections which are proven are those from Actisense and Yacht Devices (either N2k to USB, N2k to Wifi). Canable (Pro), Canberry and OpenMarine (Openplotter) also sell isolated canbus adapters which are sufficient and work fine with SignalK (I have not seen the Canberry + SignalK combination but the specs are good).

I don't know which breakout board you use. Just an MCP2515 + MCP2551 works fine for testing. I would not recommend using it permanently, but some people do.

PS the pypilot plugin was written as remote for a pypilot, not for Raymarine/Simrad/B&G/Garmin.

This is the board I have


So even with the B&G on the NEMA 2000 and the pypilot on the 0183, opencpn wouldn’t be able to communicate with the B&G stuff?

[CarCode]

What about asking www.gedad.de or t.gersmann@gedad.de
They should help you.

[hreuver]

Communication is not the problem. That will work (at least when you install it).

Do you think you will get a problem with ground loops?
Your choice.


As for the pypilot:
I read your message wrong. I thought you mentioned a B&G pilot.
Haven't tested the Triton2 with a pypilot yet.

[stevead]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

*Like just add it to the NEMA 0183 port on my breakout board, everything else on the NEMA 2000 backbone to break out board connection and go?

Wishful thinking.....

B&G Triton displays and Autopilot Controllers are NMEA 2000. OpenCPN does not natively support NMEA 2000. Therefore any NMEA 183 data irrespective of whether it originates from a NMEA 183 sensor or from OpenCPN will need o be converted to NMEA 2000 to at least be displayed on the B&G Triton display.

Signal K Server may be configured to perform this conversion.

The current release of my OpenCPN plugin, TwoCan, does not. I am adding some conversions of NMEA 183 to NMEA 2000 in the next version, however no release date as of yet.

For the B&G Triton autopilot controller, it may (or more likely, it does) use manufacturer specific commands to talk to an autopilot so it may only recognise and communicate with B&G autopilots connected to the NMEA 2000 network. Even if it did not use proprietary commands, I think that Signal K's support for NMEA 2000 autopilot commands is in its infancy, so it may not even be capable of converting NMEA 2000 messages to the data that pypilot requires.

If you wish to contribute to the pool of NMEA 2000 knowledge, what would be very helpful is data captures of the Autopilot Controller on the NMEA 2000 network (startup, change mode, left/right) .

[NorthernMac]

Thanks!


So scratch the B&G, would it at least be able to get AIS and GPS data from a simrad rs40b vhf/ais?

[hreuver]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

So scratch the B&G, would it at least be able to get AIS and GPS data from a simrad rs40b vhf/ais?

Any normal devices like Speed/Log/Wind/AIS/GPS => GeDaD / NMEA0183-IN are never a problem.

With N2k and NMEA0183-OUT you might want isolation, but this should also not be any problem.


Only special devices like the remote-app for a pilot on the B&G or other non-standard devices are problematic.


(Tested with a Canable Pro, Triton2, SignalK and OpenCPN 5.1.621 (RC1) and OpenCPN 5.0.0. I never tried TwoCan and I am not a developer.)

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by hreuver

Any normal devices like Speed/Log/Wind/AIS/GPS => GeDaD / NMEA0183-IN are never a problem.

With N2k and NMEA0183-OUT you might want isolation, but this should also not be any problem.


Only special devices like the remote-app for a pilot on the B&G or other non-standard devices are problematic.


(Tested with a Canable Pro, Triton2, SignalK and OpenCPN 5.1.621 (RC1) and OpenCPN 5.0.0. I never tried TwoCan and I am not a developer.)

Ah, ok

Should the pypilot go to one of the boards NEMA183s or should it go to a serial to USB to the Pi?

I have rudder sensor inputs on the pypilot as well as end limit switches.





*also, if I did get the B&Gs what would be the chance the hive would produce some code for them if I provided the captured data Requested?
I’d love for those to work on my boat, and I would like to help the community, just don’t want to end up with two paperweights

[hreuver]

Pypilot means literally some Raspberry Pi, an IMU and a motor controller.

There should be some NMEA0183-IN for the pypilot, since you want to steer on apparant wind, but that can also be provided over the network (kplex or signalk 10110).

If OpenCPN and SignalK works on one computer, you use tinypilot (pypilot on a seperate pi) and they can be connected using wifi.

If you use OpenPlotter you can also install pypilot to the same pi where you use OpenCPN adding the IMU and the controller to OpenPlotter.

First diagram:

Sensors (wind) =nmea=>  pc (SignalK + Opencpn) =wifi=> tinypi   <=i2c= IMU
                                                       ||  /\
                                                       \/  ||
                                           motorcontroller   rudder feedback

Second diagram

Sensors (wind) =nmea=>  pc (SignalK + Opencpn) <=I2C= IMU
                           ||         /\
                           \/         ||
                 motorcontroller   rudder feedback

You could also use the tinypi as central computer in the network (not my preference).

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by hreuver

Pypilot means literally some Raspberry Pi, an IMU and a motor controller.

There should be some NMEA0183-IN for the pypilot, since you want to steer on apparant wind, but that can also be provided over the network (kplex or signalk 10110).

If OpenCPN and SignalK works on one computer, you use tinypilot (pypilot on a seperate pi) and they can be connected using wifi.

If you use OpenPlotter you can also install pypilot to the same pi where you use OpenCPN adding the IMU and the controller to OpenPlotter.

First diagram:

Sensors (wind) =nmea=>  pc (SignalK + Opencpn) =wifi=> tinypi   <=i2c= IMU
                                                       ||  /\
                                                       \/  ||
                                           motorcontroller   rudder feedback

Second diagram

Sensors (wind) =nmea=>  pc (SignalK + Opencpn) <=I2C= IMU
                           ||         /\
                           \/         ||
                 motorcontroller   rudder feedback

You could also use the tinypi as central computer in the network (not my preference).

So I have the pypilot controller and my raspberrypi running opencpn on that board with a HAT2, how would one connect the two? Isn’t the pypilot send and receive from opencpn?

[hreuver]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

So I have the pypilot controller and my raspberrypi running opencpn on that board with a HAT2, how would one connect the two? Isn’t the pypilot send and receive from opencpn?

Did you check https://pypilot.org?
If you use OpenPlotter I think you should checkopenmarine.net first (there is the openplotter forum).

With the tinypilot you can also use the webapp (http://pypilot.io), connecting on the local boatnetwork. With a wifi network you could use with your phone on board.

If you use the OpenCPN plugin, try:
https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/plugins/pypilot.html

You will see that if you use a [OpenCPN pc] you can connect to the tinypilot [autopilot computer] using a wifi network. Install the [autopilot computer] and configure the right hostname or number.

Between [autopilot computer] and [motor controller] you normally use a serial connection.


A better picture of the diagram:
https://pypilot.org/wiki/lib/exe/det...ot_diagram.png

[rgleason]

Hreuver,
I have added your info to the wiki here
https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...t_requirements

[stevead]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

Thanks!


So scratch the B&G, would it at least be able to get AIS and GPS data from a simrad rs40b vhf/ais?

The RS40B VHF/AIS supports both NMEA 183 & NMEA 2000, so other than connecting everything correctly, AIS & VHF data will be displayed on both the Triton display using NMEA 2000 and OpenCPN, either directly using the RS40B's NMEA 183 interface, or indirectly via the RS40B's NMEA 2000 interface with either an external NMEA 2000 <-> NMEA 183 gateway (Yacht Devices, Actisense, Maretron etc.) or an internal gateway (OpenPlotter/Signal K server, TwoCan plugin for OpenCPN)

I personally don't know what NMEA 2000 messages the Triton Autopilot Controller sends and receives, in particular manufacturer proprietary message, so currently the TwoCan plugin will not be of any use to you in attempting to control a pypilot. (However if you can get a data capture from the Triton Autopot Controller that would be fantastic!)

You are best to ask the Signal K developers whether Canboat/Signal K Server process the NMEA 2000 messages from the Triton Autopilot Controller.